By rosebell
Demolition is scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The work will prepare several sites for construction of the world’s first full-scale tunnel for ships.
Stad Ship Tunnel Demolition Works
AF Decom will demolish 18 buildings across three areas associated with the Stad Ship Tunnel project.
The works include the demolition of two buildings at Eidsstranda in Moldefjorden, 15 buildings in Kjøde and one building at Sneide/Kjøde.
The demolition is one of the first visible construction activities for the project and is required to prepare the sites before the main tunnel construction begins.
Five companies submitted bids for the demolition contract. AF Decom submitted the lowest bid and also achieved the highest score for climate and environmental measures.
The NCA said the demolition works will focus on efficient execution and maximising the reuse and recycling of construction materials.
12km of Subsea Water Pipelines
The NCA has also awarded a contract to Telemark Seaworx for the installation of approximately 12km of subsea water pipelines to serve the Stad Ship Tunnel portal areas.
The pipelines will run from Åheim to the portal area at Kjøde and from Moldestad in Moldefjorden to the southern portal at Eidsstranda.
The project will also include several landfall points and valve houses along the pipeline routes.
Construction of the water pipelines is scheduled to begin in October 2026 and is expected to be completed by April 2027.
Water Supply Benefits Beyond the Tunnel Project
The new pipelines will provide water to the Stad Ship Tunnel portal sites and connect areas that currently lack access to a municipal water supply.
Following completion of the ship tunnel, the plan is to extend the water pipeline through the tunnel and connect water supply systems on both sides.
This will allow the water supply networks in Stad and Vanylven to provide backup capacity for one another, creating a long-term infrastructure benefit beyond the tunnel itself.
Stad Ship Tunnel Main Construction Contract
In January, the Norwegian Coastal Administration awarded the main design-and-build contract to AF Gruppen. Construction of the ship tunnel itself is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
The upcoming works will mark the start of construction of one of Norway’s most significant maritime infrastructure projects.
World’s First Full-Scale Ship Tunnel
The Stad Ship Tunnel will be the world’s first full-scale tunnel designed specifically for ships.
The tunnel will be approximately 1.7km long, 50m high and 36m wide, creating a protected passage through the exposed Stadhavet Sea.
The new route will allow vessels up to the size of the coastal passenger ships operating on the Hurtigruten and Kystruten services to avoid the difficult and weather-exposed waters around the Stad peninsula.
By providing a sheltered maritime route, the Stad Ship Tunnel is intended to improve the safety and reliability of shipping along Norway’s coast.
